Collapsible eating tray

ABSTRACT

A food handling apparatus adapted to support food items such as pizza, hamburgers, submarine sandwiches, and the like. The apparatus includes a flat surface upon which the food item rests. The apparatus may be collapsible, folding into itself to reduce its footprint as the food item is consumed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent application Ser. No. 62/668,847 entitled “COLLAPSIBLE EATING TRAY” and filed May 9, 2018. The entirety of the above-noted application is incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

Disposable or semi-disposable containers aimed at preventing food items from becoming contaminated by the surfaces upon which they rest and/or preventing fast food items from unnecessarily soiling the consumer, his or her clothes, or the surrounding area exist. Given the greasy, flaky, crumbly, and otherwise messy nature of some foods (e.g., fast foods); such containers are of great utility. However, there is a need in this field of endeavor for a container that accomplishes the above functions but additionally is easily portable, reusable, and collapsible so as to take up significantly less space when not in use and to facilitate eating.

SUMMARY

The following presents a simplified summary of the innovation in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview of the innovation. It is not intended to identify key/critical elements of the innovation or to delineate the scope of the innovation. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the innovation in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

In an aspect, the innovation provides a collapsible food handling apparatus adapted to support food items (e.g., pizza, hamburgers, submarine sandwiches, and the like). The apparatus includes a flat surface upon which the food item rests. The apparatus may be collapsible, folding or collapsing into or onto itself to reduce its footprint as the food item is consumed. The apparatus may be constructed of a durable, suitably rigid, washable material. Alternatively, the apparatus may not be collapsible, but instead be equipped with a sliding tray operative to move the remainder of the food item closer to the consumer as it is consumed. Alternatively, the apparatus may be constructed of a disposable material such as cardboard.

In one aspect, the innovation provides food handling apparatus that may extend to accommodate the full length of food items (e.g., pizza, sandwiches, hotdogs, etc.) and contract (or collapse) so as to reduce the space it occupies and to facilitate eating, for example, in situations where a user may be using one hand (e.g., while reading a book, using a computer, etc.). The food handling apparatus is shaped such that it may be manipulated with a single hand, leaving the other hand free for other activities. Such characteristics make the apparatus easier to use and to transport (e.g., in an automobile).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Aspects of the disclosure are understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying drawings. It will be appreciated that elements, structures, etc. of the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Accordingly, the dimensions of the same may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion, for example.

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment according to the innovation having roughly a triangular shape.

FIG. 2 illustrates the embodiment of FIG. 1 wherein one segment is collapsed into an adjacent segment.

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment according to the innovation wherein the segments are collapsed.

FIG. 4 illustrates a bottom view of an embodiment according to the innovation

FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment according to the innovation comprising a flat surface with supporting walls.

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment according to the innovation comprising a flat surface with side walls.

FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment according to the innovation comprising a u-shaped surface configured to support a food item.

FIG. 8 illustrates the embodiment of FIG. 7 wherein some of the segments are collapsed.

FIG. 9 illustrates a front perspective view of the embodiment according to FIG. 7 wherein the segments are collapsed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the subject innovation. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details.

While specific characteristics are described herein (e.g., thickness, orientation, configuration, etc.), it is to be understood that the features, functions and benefits of the innovation can employ characteristics that vary from those described herein. These alternatives are to be included within the scope of the innovation and claims appended hereto.

According to an aspect, the innovation provides a food handling apparatus that is collapsible or foldable to facilitate transportation and/or eating of various food items (e.g., pizza, sandwiches, etc.) In one embodiment, the food handling apparatus may be used to consume and/or transport food while engaged in other tasks (e.g., writing, walking, riding in an automobile). Because the food handling apparatus is collapsible so as to accommodate the size of the food item being consumed, the food handling apparatus may facilitate eating with just one hand. It may also facilitate relatively mess-free eating in areas where it is difficult to use plates, napkins, etc. For example, eating while traveling in a car can be difficult and messy. The food handling apparatus according to the innovation provides a sturdy holder for the food item and allows the user to eat the food more easily.

In one embodiment the food handling apparatus may be configured to collapse with pressure applied from a user as the user consumes the food item. For example, as the user eats a piece of pizza, pressure from the user's chin may cause a segment(s) to slide (or otherwise collapse or fold) into the adjacent segment.

In one embodiment, the food handling apparatus may include a tray for supporting a food item. The tray may comprise segments or portions that are slidable, foldable, or otherwise collapsible. In one embodiment, the tray may comprise only a single segment/portion. As the user consumes the food item, the tray or segments/portions of the tray may be collapsed so as to accommodate the size of the remaining food item while permitting the user to continue to eat the food item without moving the food item within the food handling apparatus. Collapsing of the tray or segments of the tray may be accomplished by means of hinges, slides, concentric parts fitted to grooves, scissor-like mechanisms, nested-segments, and the like. In one embodiment, the food handling device may be shaped to support a variety of food items or may be shaped to suit a particular food item (e.g., pizza or a hotdog).

In one embodiment, the segments of the food handling apparatus may collapse by sliding into a recess or groove of an adjacent segment.

In one embodiment, the segments may collapse by folding beneath the main surface of the apparatus. The segment may be configured to be releasably secured or otherwise attached to the underside of an adjacent segment. For example, segments may include mateable connectors (e.g., snaps, grooves, hook and loop connectors, etc.).

In one embodiment, the food handling apparatus comprises a substantially flat surface without supports (e.g., legs). In another embodiment, the food handling apparatus may have any suitable number of supports so as to facilitate use of the food handling apparatus. In one embodiment, the supports may be detachable/removable.

In one embodiment, the surface of the food handling apparatus that is in contact with the food item may be textured or smooth. In one embodiment, the surface may be textured so as to facilitate retention of the food item on the surface.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an embodiment according to the innovation that includes a food handling apparatus 100 comprising flat surface supported by three supports 140 (e.g., legs), one at each point of an isosceles triangle. The flat surface is comprised of segments 110, 111, 112, 113 that are collapsible. As depicted in FIG. 2, segment 110 is configured to slide/collapse into a recess of adjacent segment 111 so as to reduce the overall length of the food handling apparatus 100. The segments contract/collapse such that the segments closer to the far vertex are slid into adjacent segments further from the far vertex. In one embodiment, the apparatus may be equipped with a crumb-catching plate, webbing or other structural characteristics operative to catch and contain food residue.

In one embodiment, the food handling device may be configure to slope downward from it widest portion.

FIG. 3 depicts a view of an embodiment of in the innovation similar to the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2 that shows the segments collapsed into the recesses of adjacent segments. A first segment 310 is configured to collapse into a recess 325 of adjacent segment 320. In one embodiment, the adjacent segments (e.g., segments 320, 330 of FIG. 3) include a groove into which the collapsible segment may slide. In one embodiment, the segment may be collapsible via a track. Segment 330 is a fixed segment into which the prior segments 310, 320 slidably fit. It is to be appreciated that most any method of collapsing a segment into a recess of an adjacent segment may be utilized.

FIG. 4 depicts an embodiment similar to those of FIGS. 1-3. In one embodiment, the size of the food handling apparatus may be customizable. For example, segments 410, 411, 412, 413 of varying sizes (e.g., length and/or width) and/or shape may be added or removed from the food handling apparatus

FIG. 5 illustrates another embodiment according to the innovation that includes a food handling apparatus comprising a tray having a substantially flat surface for accommodating a food item. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 5, the apparatus comprises a flat surface (tray) and side support that support the flat surface. The tray comprises segments 510, 511, 512, 513 having side supports 520, 521, 522, 523. The food handling apparatus 500 may be collapsed segment-by-segment along its length as the food item is eaten.

It is to be appreciated that the food handling apparatus may comprise any suitable number of segments and/or side supports. In one embodiment, the tray may be one piece (not have separate segments). In one embodiment, the food handling apparatus may not include any side supports. In one embodiment, the food handling apparatus may include detachable/removable side walls. These side walls may be useful for certain types of food items. For example, a hot dog or sausage may roll when on the tray. Adding side walls would prevent the food item for falling off or out of the food handling apparatus.

FIG. 6 illustrates another embodiment according to the innovation. In this embodiment, the food handling apparatus 600 comprises a tray having a substantially flat surface with side walls on the top surface of the tray. The side walls a barrier to prevent the food item from falling off the tray. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 6, the apparatus comprises a flat surface (tray) and side wall on each side of the tray. The tray comprises segments 610, 611, 612, 613, each having side walls 620, 621, 622, 623. In one embodiment, the side walls form a contiguous wall along the length of the tray. The food handling apparatus 600 may be collapsed segment-by-segment along its length as the food item is eaten.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate another embodiment according to the innovation. The food handling device 700 is u-shaped and is configured to support a food item and keep it from rolling/falling off the tray. Food item 701 may be placed on the inner surface of the tray. The apparatus is segmented 710, 711, 712, 713 width-wise throughout its length such that the apparatus may be collapsed along its length as the food item is eaten. FIG. 8 depicts the food handling device 700 wherein segments 710, 711 are collapsed into adjacent segment 712.

FIG. 9 depicts a view of the food handling device 700 wherein segments 710, 711, 712 are collapsed into adjacent segment 713. Any or all of the u-shaped segments 710, 711, 712, 713 may have a lip 760 and a catch 765. The catch 765 may engage the lip 760 to secure the segment so that does not unintentionally release.

The above embodiments may be made of most any material suitable for supporting/containing food items. One embodiment may include a reusable, washable surface, such as polyurethane or the like. Another embodiment may be disposable.

For example, the apparatus may be constructed of paper or cardboard or similar absorbent non-washable surfaces for one-time use or of a disposable plastic material. The segments of the disposable food handling apparatus may not be collapsible, but may be removable. For example, the cardboard segment may include perforations that facilitate the removal (e.g., by ripping or tearing) of the segment as the food item is being consumed.

It is preferable that embodiments of the present innovation be resistant to heat and cold so as to protect the consumer from injury.

A relatively high coefficient of friction is desirable for the surfaces upon which the food items are housed in order to avoid slipping and spillage (e.g., when a vehicle the user is traveling in makes a sudden stop or when the user is walking).

The contemplated food handling apparatus may have a support element (e.g., leg) may include suction cups, magnets or other appropriate means to secure the apparatus when it is not being held by the user.

The above embodiments are by no means a comprehensive list of all possible embodiments. Other embodiments which facilitate a compact, portable food handling apparatus are contemplated. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A food handling apparatus for supporting a food item, comprising: a tray configured to support the food item comprising a plurality of segments, wherein a first segment of the plurality of segments is configured to slidably fit into a recess of a second segment of the plurality of segments.
 2. The food handling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tray further comprises a plurality of support elements affixed to the tray such that the tray is supported a fixed distance above a resting plane.
 3. The food handling apparatus of claim 2, wherein the plurality of support elements comprise a side support affixed to each of the plurality of segments, wherein the plane of the bottom of each side support is co-planar across the plurality of segments.
 4. The food handling apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second segment of the plurality of segments is a fixed segment and wherein a first support element of the at plurality of support elements is affixed to the first segment of the tray and a second support element is affixed to the second fixed segment of the tray and wherein the first support element is configured to support the tray when the first segment is within the recess of any other of the plurality of segments.
 5. The food handling apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tray has a triangular shape.
 6. The food handling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tray is u-shaped and the food item is supported on an inner surface of the u-shaped tray.
 7. The food handling apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a support wall attached to a top surface of each of the plurality of segments of the tray to form a continuous wall along the length of the tray.
 8. The food handling apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tray comprises a top surface that is textured.
 9. The food handling apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a plate beneath the tray for catching debris from the food item.
 10. A food handling apparatus for supporting a food item, comprising: a u-shaped tray configured to support the food item comprising a plurality of segments, wherein a first segment is configured to slidably fit into a recess of a second segment.
 11. The food handling apparatus of claim 10 wherein: the second segment of the plurality of segments is a fixed segment; each of the plurality of segments includes a lip; and the first segment of the plurality of segments includes a catch on the lip such that the catch secures to the lip of the fixed segment.
 12. The food handling apparatus of claim 10, wherein the u-shaped tray further comprises a plurality of support elements affixed to the tray such that the tray is supported a fixed distance above a resting plane.
 13. The food handling apparatus of claim 12, wherein a first support element of the plurality one support element is affixed to the first segment of the u-shaped tray and a second support element is affixed to the second fixed segment of the tray and wherein the first support element is configured to support the tray when the first segment is within the recess any other of the plurality of segments.
 14. The food handling apparatus of claim 9 wherein the inner surface of the u-shaped tray is textured. 